Liu Changling, a 68-year-old farmer from Jinan, Shandong province, with four decades of experience in orchard cultivation, has found a new revenue stream in the digital age. By sharing his planting techniques and produce on short-video platforms, he has boosted his sales and become an online influencer with over 100,000 followers.

Liu is an example of a growing trend in China, where senior citizens are increasingly integrating internet technologies into their lives. Data from the China Internet Network Information Center showed that as of June 2025, the number of internet users age 60 and above had reached 161 million.

This means that approximately one out of every two senior citizens in China is now connected to the digital world, marking a staggering 18-fold increase in the elderly online population over the past 15 years, according to Xinhua News Agency.

A survey conducted by Beijing Normal University of 2,000 internet users age 55 to 83 found that over 75 percent have experience creating short videos, with more than 27 percent posting frequently. Their content primarily revolves around family life, cooking tips, health knowledge and skill sharing.

Now, the rapid development and wide application of artificial intelligence have also further ignited their enthusiasm for learning and experiencing the new technology.

A report on AI usage among seniors, jointly released by Alibaba Group and Zhejiang Open University in October, highlighted the elderly as a group with immense potential for deep participation in the AI era. They stand to benefit comprehensively from AI in areas such as home-based care, health management, nursing, emotional companionship, and even career extension, it said.

Seniors are not only eager to learn about and use AI but are also active consumers of the products and services that technology provides. On Alibaba's Tmall platform, for example, purchases of AI companion robots capable of voice chat and remote video-calling increased significantly from January to August last year. During the same period, sales of senior-friendly smart bracelets and watches saw year-on-year growth of over 200 percent and 350 percent, respectively.

Reflecting this demand, AI training and AI courses are being widely introduced at colleges for the elderly across the country. According to China Youth Daily, courses on AI and digital life saw a notable increase in new offerings for the spring 2026 semester at Shanghai universities for the elderly. In Changning and Hongkou districts, local universities are partnering with information technology enterprises to guide and assist senior students in understanding, learning and applying AI.

A 72-year-old student surnamed Li from Qitaihe, Heilongjiang province, expressed his excitement after using AI to restore his worn and faded old photos.

"These are pictures of me at a factory over 40 years ago. Seeing the restored images instantly through the technology brought me back to those old days; it was deeply touching," Li told Heilongjiang Daily.

While encouraging the elderly to embrace AI and new technologies, Zhu Wei, an associate professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, reminded senior citizens to be wary of fraudsters who exploit their interest in AI training.

In addition to shutting down online accounts that use the guise of teaching AI to scam the elderly, Zhu suggested holding the operating agencies or companies managing such accounts accountable and strengthening supervision.

"These measures are crucial for maintaining order in cyberspace and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the elderly," he added.